ISC Broadsword
HIMS ''Broadsword'' is a ''Strike''-class cruiser launched shortly before the Battle of Hoth. Her frame was assembled at Kuat Drive Yards Assembly-D345 under an agreement with Loronar Corporation. Her modules were constructed at Loronar's main assembly in the Meridian Sector. Final assembly was completed late in 2 ABY. She was christened and launched with her sister vessels [[ISC Warhammer|HIMS Warhammer]] and [[ISC Flail|HIMS Flail]] early in 3 ABY in a ceremony aboard the OS Guardian in the O'paal system. She currently serves as a warship for the Imperial Navy's Task Force Inquisitor. Imperial Service Record She was outfitted with a squadron of reconaissance TIE fighters and a squadron of the new TIE Interceptors, and tasked to join Darth Vader's Death Squadron. She first saw action, acting as a picket orbiting Hoth while the Star Destroyers focused on overwhelming the Rebel defenders on the planet's surface. A flight of TIE/rc's from Phoenix Squadron spotted a Gallofree transport being escorted by a pair of X-wings and relayed their location to Broadsword, which promptly launched Lightning Squadron to engage and destroy the vessels. Two flights of Interceptors peeled the escorts away while the remaining two flights made short work of the tranport's thin armor. One interceptor was damaged and while Broadsword made its way to recover its fighters, they were jumped by a flight of Y-wings responding to the transport's distress beacon. The sturdy attack fighters scored a lucky shot on Broadsword, disabling her port-side module with an off-chance hit to the power coupling running along the spine of the large vessel. At half-efficiency Broadsword began turning to keep its operational dorsal and starboard modules in the fight. The returning Interceptors were too much for the Rebels, however, and they were completely overwhelmed by the faster, more agile fighters. Recovering her fighters proved tricky as the port module also contained the vessel's main hangar. However, the dorsal mounted tractor beams were used to 'guide' the fighters into the hangar. The vessel was able to limp back to its rally point while the ship's engineers worked in vac-suits on the vessel's hull, re-routing power around the destroyed coupling. She made port in then-Imperial held Sluis Van to undergo repairs before being sent back out to rejoin Death Squadron. Broadsword would have a great deal of success as she joined in the pursuit of the Rebel Alliance across the Galaxy. Her service with Death Squadron would end with the destruction of Executor during the Battle of Endor. However, Broadsword would distinguish herself with rescuing over 2000 survivors from the doomed Star Dreadnought before it plunged into the dying Death Star. Using the confusion of the explosions, Broadsword, along with other vessels fleeing the battle made her way back to O'paal where she was reassigned to Imperial High Command's defensive fleet. Late in 4 ABY, a saboteur was able to infiltrate the ship with a large amount of explosives. In several savage explosions, the ship's fighter racks were destroyed, as well as 4 decks left exposed to space causing the deaths of nearly 300 members of her crew. A young Lieutenant-JG Damon Tyr barely escaped the destruction of the fighters and while working with the ship's Captain and Political Officer, was able to track down and confront the saboteur before he could blow up the ship's reactor. For his effort, Tyr was awarded the Nova Cross for his efforts. In 5 ABY, Broadsword was assigned to join Grand Admiral Thrawn's expedition to the Outer Rim. Little is known in the Imperial Records about her time spent out beyond the fringes of the known galaxy. Rumors are that the Imperial fleet made contact with elements of the Chiss Ascendancy but if any records were kept in the vessels of that fleet, they have been lost. 11 ABY saw the return of at least part of the Expeditionary fleet's vessels — Broadsword among them. Phoenix Squadron was disbanded and Lightning was transferred to [[I2SD Conqueror|HIMS Conqueror]]. The cruiser was refitted with new armor plating, meant to protect those weak connection points between the modules and skeleton of the vessel. Following her refit, she was again assigned to the system's defensive fleet. She was assigned a squadron of Scimitar Assault Bombers and TIE Interceptor mk. II's; Berserker and Rapier. Responsible for enforcing the system's hyperlanes, Broadsword served in relative anonymity until the rise of Darth Malign. She was on hand to respond to the Moff Sekirol Crisis, and was transferred into the newly-formed Task Force Nebula. Broadsword served distinctively during the Crisis. Berserker Squadron was completely annihilated during the Battle of Chiarn, but Broadsword was awarded a Golden Battle Star for her heroic actions in engaging a Victory-class Star Destroyer, PCS Scepter of Ages, and destroying it. Scepter did not go down without a fight, and Broadsword suffered heavy damage, prompting a withdrawal from the battle shortly thereafter. She recovered to Selene to undergo extensive repairs. She returned to action in time to help the fleet crush the remains of Sekirol's force during the Battle of the Gate of Thrawn. From there, she accompanied Task Force Nebula to Sullust to participate in the monstrous invasion of Sullust. Nebula was dissolved into the other task forces that had been laying siege to Sullust for the past month, and Broadsword was assigned to a position within Task Force Hammer. Battles Battle of Hoth Battle of Endor Fourth Battle of Corellia Second Battle of Chandrila Battle of O'paal Battle of Barida Battle of Chiarn Battle of the Gate of Thrawn Fourth Battle of Sullust Second Battle of Etti IV Second Battle of Cochran Sixth Battle of Coruscant Captains of Note Captain Lynae Cassius-Caiton Captain Russel Canis OOC Notes *''Broadsword'' was a coded ship on the old database. She was not ported over when the MUSH changed homes in 1997. I have not been able to find many records other than a few anecdotes from before that time. Any 'vets' with logs are encouraged to help update and flush out the history here. * When the Empire ordered two new Strike Cruisers from the CSA in 2004, Broadsword was one of the names picked by then AFH Vassily Korolov to honor one of the older ships from the game. The History of the two vessels has been meshed to give consistency to the universe. Broadsword